A New Namikaze
by Numino0708
Summary: This is my first story, and english isn't my native tounge, so be nice. A tranger shows up in the village. or at least to Naruto she is a stranger, but she is an old friend or perhaps an old enemy of Kakashi and anthor troublemaker for Jiraiya, but perhaps she can change things to the better.
1. Chapter 1

**A New Namikaze**

[Skriv forfatterens navn]

This is my first story, so be nice, and p.s don't own Naruto

**A New Namikaze**

Prologue

A young girl around thirteen was going up the hill, which lead away from the village. She was very skinny and dirty. People how didn't knew her, could have the idea that she was homeless or something like that. She was wearing a leaf headband and had a back bag, which seemed a little too big for her small body. A large grown puppy was following her every move. It was clear that the dog was hers. When the dog got closer, it was cleat, it wasn't an ordinary dog. A couple of large grey birdwings grew out from its back. They look strong enough for the dog to carry a passenger about the size of the girl.

When the girl got on the top of the hill long stripes in the dirt under her eyes showed that see just had been crying. Again and again, her forearm got up to her face to try to wipe the rest of the tears away. She kept mumbling something, which was impossible to understand.

When she got to the top, she turned around and looked back at the village.

Smoked still raised up, from the damage part of the village. It reminded her all too well, what had happen just a few hours ago. This place had been her home all her life. She had loved it, and she had never imagined any other home than this. It was unthinkable! It had been anyway.

Now there was nothing to keep her here. Well yes, there was, but not enough to make her stay after what had happened. And the one thing, there could have made her stay had been denied her!

She felt the anger rise up again in her body and she clenched her fists. The puppy looked nervously at her. It could feel her feelings. It came a little closer to her and the girl placed a hand on top of its head.

"I know, Lingo," she said to the dog. "But I really need to get away for a while."

She turned her back to the village and started to walk away, to leave her childhood home behind her, but a voice made her turn a look back.

"Numino, wait up!" it yelled.

She knew that voice, even though it had been a while since it had been the voice she had cared for. Now it was going rough and gowned up.

A boy, only a few years from being a man was running after her.

There was only two years between them, but he seemed much older than her.

For a few seconds she thought about just ignore him and keep going. He couldn't stop her anyway!

But jet, she just couldn't ignore him, not now even though they both had done it for years now.

He reached her and sent her a serious look.

"Is it true you're leaving?" he asked.

Like the girl, the boy was also wearing a leaf headband. But it was placed on his forehead in such a way that it covered his left eye. That didn't help to keep his mane of silver hair I place. It actually made him look messier. He was a lot bigger than her. He had grown a lot the last couple of years.

She had grown too, but not as much as he. She had always been a little small of her age.

It was like the gap between kept growing as their physical likens disappeared.

He was dressed in an amour. She didn't understand why since the war was over.

She had heard rumours about him joining the ANBU soon but she didn't know why he already dressed like one of them. He would fit well there, she thought. After all the ANBU's were wearing mask on their missions.

She turned back to reality and looked the buy, soon man in the somewhat disappointed.

He looked like her brother, when she had done something wrong.

A flash of pain went through her heart, when she thought of him.

"Yes," she finally answered him.

"You realise that you will solve nothing by running?" he asked and crossed his arms in front of his chest. He almost sounded like brother too.

"I'm not running," she said.

"Then what are you doing?"

"I need to be on my own for awhile."

"That's the same as running."

"No it isn't! I'm going to learn to protect myself."

"You can learn it here. And beside you already are capable of protecting yourself, even though you don't always think, you're not a complete weakling. No one could have done anything," suddenly he didn't sound so angry anymore. He sounded concerned. "Beside, you can't just leave. You're a shinobi! We don't just run away! You will be a rouge-ninja!"

He tried to sound professional, but it didn't quit succeed.

"I can't stand being here anymore! I have already spoken to the third. He is okay with me leaving, since he won't agree to my conditions" she explained.

"You're thinking about Naruto?" he asked, and this time she clearly sensed the pity in his voice. After all she knew, he cared about him too.

"It is just unfair! If I'm not allowed to be around him, then perhaps it's better if I'm not here at all!" she tried to keep the anger and the tears back, but it was too late!

He was quiet for a moment before he spoke again.

"How long will you be gone?"

She thought about it for a moment.

"I don't know. As long as I don't feel like coming back," she smiled. She hoped, it looked like looked like her old smile. But somehow she knew it didn't look real. Her eyes were not right. There were still tears in them. Then she turned away and started walking.

The boy just looked after her and the dog with something that looked like a sad. But then again he always looked sad.

Just before the girl disappeared in to the woods and the darkness of the night, he saluted after her:

"Numino!" he yelled.

She looked back at him, with a little sad smile and a excepting look.

"Take good care of yourself," he said. "Enough of your family have died lately."

She smiled and now it looked like her old flashing smile, which reminded him of her brother and a time longs pass.

"I wouldn't worry about me, if I were you." She turned around, but just before she disappeared, she said one last thing that was so low that the boy almost couldn't hear her:

"If I were you, I would worry about yourself, Kakashi."

And then she was gone. Leaving the village and anything in it behind.


	2. Chapter 2

New person in town

Fifteen years later

Jiraiya was happy been back in village. It was rare he was here. He had a lot of things to take care of. Besides he had gotten use to life on the road, ever since he started looking for his destiny which that old toad had told him about. He didn't though much about these days. Especially the last three years he had spent training Naruto. That kid took a lot of energy and patience and he didn't have too much of that these days. Jiraiya could feel he had passed fifty.

He had just been to the Hokage to "deliver" Naruto back to the village.

He really feeling like going to a warm hotspring right now, but he had another appointment and he really hoped the one he was meeting wanted to keep it too.

It hadn't been easy getting in contact, but he had his ways.

But why outside of the village dam it?!

He went rough the gate to the village and nodded to the gatekeepers, who looked a little surprised. He had just come back, why was he leaving?

He didn't want to explain. Heck, he didn't know if he could!

When he reached the first trees outside the village, he stopped and looked around.

It was here they were supposed to meet according to the answer he had reserved, so…?

He didn't have to wait long, before he heard somebody moving. He was still a little on alert. He had served in a war after all, but the person didn't want to play hide and seek for too long, for a figure dress in a hood showed itself among the trees.

It approached him slowly. He was almost sure that it was the person, he was supposed to meet, but as long he couldn't see the persons face, he was still on his guard.

When the figure had past the last trees it stopped.

The two of them stood quiet and looked at each other for about thirty seconds.

"You are getting older," he figure finally said. "I was only teen meters away before you noticed me. "Your hearing getting worse?"

The last was said in a playful voice.

Jiraiya didn't recognised the voice, but that playful way to talk didn't seemed to have changed.

"Have a little respect for elders!" he said, but he couldn't help but smile. "I'm still your sensei."

The figure lifted its hands and removed the hood, so the face was clear.

Jiraiya had expected change of course. He had been fifteen years, and the person in front of him was more than twice as old as then. But still for a short moment, he felt like being hit in the stomach. There were two things about that person that knocked the feet away under him.

The first it was the beauty. Strong but elegant jawbone and a soft mouth that took some of the hardness from the jaws and eyes away. A little smile played in one side of the mouth. The hair was short, really short, but it still had that same warm blond colour that was so rare in the Land of Fire.

But the most beautiful thing about the person in front of him was the eyes.

They seem to have grown even dark over time. Now they have the same colour as the night sky. They were sliced and seem to look right through him.

The other thing about the person that hit Jiraiya was the likeness. They were so much alike. The short glimpse of pain went through his heart. But it went quick. Then he felt like hugging the person but he waited a little.

Despite the beauty of the person, it could be both a young man and woman. Especially because the body's shape was hidden by the long cloak. But Jiraiya recognised his old student. Just like her to try to be genderless. He would give her points for succeeding so well in her age. It was hard for a woman in her twenty's to look like a boy.

Then the little smile disappeared from the lips.

"What do you want, Jiraiya-sensei?" getting all tough all of a sudden. That was new.

He cross his arms over his chest and tried to look down on her all serious and sensei-like. She might be a grown up, but he still had some things to teach her.

"I want you to stop fooling around like this. Fifteen years is long enough. The village needs your help, Numino!" he said with firm look.

Numino took a short look over his shoulder to get a glimpse of the leaf village behind him. A glimpse of pain and disgust appeared in her eyes at the sight. Then she looked back at him with that tough look.

"Why? It looks fine to me, and you have been away for a longer time than me, been doing the same thing. Why do I suddenly have to go back?"

"I have a spy network to care of. You are living the life of a tramp!"

"So are you," she answered.

"No am I researching!"

That girl was staring to get annoying. She had always been rude, but now she had gotten smarter.

"You seemed happy about those note I send you. I read on the back on your book. My love scene is in it," she smiled.

"If you tell anyone, I am gonna …!"

He searched his memory of something embarrassing about her. There were a ton of embarrassing things about her, when she was a kid. But most wouldn't bother her, if it came out, most wouldn't even surprise those who knew her.

Dam it! She was almost as difficult as Naruto, but she at least had some brain.

"I will tell everybody, you peed in your pants, when I was training you!" he yelled triumphantly pouting at her.

She just lifted an eyebrow.

"You already have told that story to everybody," she just answered.

Why was he even playing this game? This wasn't the reason he had asked her to come.

"The Akatsuki is on the move. There are rumours that they already have taken two or more Jinchuuriki. I fear things will not be as save as they use to be. We can use your help here, and I don't want you wandering around in case war breaks out," he explained back to being the serious sensei.

With the mentioning of the word Jinchuuriki, a dark and serious look showed up in the woman's face.

"Do you think they will come here?" she asked.

He shrugged his shoulders. This was his best shot to make her stay. She would not leave if the nines tails was in danger, or Naruto.

"I'm not sure. But I have to investigate more to find out what exactly they are up to, so I can't stay here to protect the kid. He will certainly be a lot more safe with you around."

"So now I'm allowed to go near him?" she answered bitterly.

"Oh, suck it up! Things have changed!" he signed.

She just couldn't get over it.

"As long as you don't go around telling him too much, Tsunade will allow it," he explained.

She really looked like she considered it. Good she just needed a little bush.

"Come home Numino. This is where you belong, and you have been gone long enough."

Once again her eyes moved past him to gaze on the sight of the village. This time a little smile sentimental smile played on her lips.

She really was quite attractive. If she hadn't been his student, and if he hadn't promised her stepfather to leave her alone, he wouldn't spending some interesting hours together. Age never bother him. But then again if she was anything like her mother, or even sister-in-law, she could be quite dangerous.

She sifted her gaze and looked at him. She leaned her head to one side, almost like a dog.

Almost there!

"You've really change. I bet they others wouldn't recognize you," he smiled. "You're all grown up."

Her smile became wider and she blinked a couple of times.

"Nice try, sensei," she said and turned around and started walking back into the forest.

Dammit! He pulled too much! But he wouldn't let her walk away!

"It's just as much for your safety, I want you here!" he called out. "If war breaks out or something!"

She didn't turned, but at least she stopped.

"I can take care of myself, Jiraiya-sensei!" she said firmly. "That's the reason I leaft. I don't want to be depended on others."

"First: You have learned that. I can see that. Now I'm asking you to help protect others. And second: as strong as you are, what if you end up in Stone or Cloud. I doubt they will let live long, if they learn your… family-history."

"You're thinking about brother."

It wasn't a question. They both knew, they would come to talk about him before or later, but now was not the time.

"Numino," he said with an almost pleading voice. "What happened, happened. We can't change the past. But we can change the future."

She snorted scornfully, but didn't say anything.

"What you're doing right now… is running."

He said very quietly, but it made something snap, for she turned around with a furious look in her eyes.

But she never got to say, what she clearly wanted to yell. Because Jiraiya gave the sign and the trap snapped. One of his medium-size toads, which had been hiding in the ground under their feeds, shot now up and swallowed the young woman, three times smaller, whole, before she had time to react.

Jiraiya acted quickly and placed a charak-suppressing-seal on the toad. He didn't think she would take kindly to being swallowed like a giant fly, and he didn't her to make any trouble. That wouldn't be nice to Gammatin.

He nodded to the giant toad.

"Good job. Now let's get to the village. I have something to deliver."


	3. Chapter 3

Long-time no seen

Naruto was wondering. He had been called to the Hokages office. Could he already have gotten a mission? He had almost just returned. He was also excited. He hadn't had a mission in over two years. He looked forward to working with Sakura and Kakashi-sensei again, even if it were without Sasuske. He still became a little sad by the thought of his old teammate.

He was also a little nervous. He wanted to do it right and show the others, what he could. The spar he and Sakura had had with Kakashi-sensei wasn't quite enough.

Yeah! He was going to show them all, what he could do! Believe it! He was after all going to be the next Hokage!

He started running towards the tower to excite to walk, and when that didn't help on his energy-level, he started jumping on the rooftops.

Man! He loved this village. Perfect roofs for running sun almost always shining. But this was his home. This place gave him a special feeling. A feeling of safety and happiness he didn't have anywhere else in the world. There really was no place like home. Of course all his friends were here.

When he got to Tsunades office, he was a little surprised to find that the Pervy-Sage was there. He had thought that he would be off to the hot springs by now. But Kakashi-sensei and Sakura were there, so maybe it was a mission. Yet Sakura wasn't dressed in her shinobi-outfit, so maybe it wasn't. He was confused.

"Hey gran-ma, what's up!" he asked and looked between the two sanins.

She frowned at the nickname, but she must be getting used to it.

"Actually, it was Jiraiya, who asked me to summon you three," she gave her old teammate a curious look. "He told me, he wanted to introduce us to someone."

Now he looked at the Pervy-sage. "Introduce"? What the hell did he mean by that? They had just returned to the village. He hadn't even met all his friends' jet. Who could he have met? Maybe it was some girl at the hot-spring. He hoped not!

The sage scratched the back of his head.

"Introduce and introduce. I just want you guys to meet an old friend of mine," he explained.

Naruto looked around in the room. There was no one else. Was this person shy or something? Or maybe invisible!

Before he could ask, Jiraiya bit his thumb and made a few hand signs, before he slammed his palm to the ground.

"Summing Jutsu!" he jelled, and smoke appeared in the room.

When the smoke had cleared a large brown toad stood in front of the man. A toad Naruto recognized.

"You have already introduced me to him. And why would you want the others to meet him!" he yelled. "And he is grouse!"

The white-haired man signed, like he was the most stupid person in the world.

"Kid, don't talk bad about people in front of you. And it is not him, I want you to meet."

He turned to toad, which had gotten a sad expression on its face.

"Well, out with it!" he said.

The toad opened its giant mouth and cramps started through its whole body like it was going to vomit.

Before Naruto or anyone else had a chance to ask, instead of vomit the toad threw up a person completely covered with slime and toad-spit. The person rolled a couple of times, before stopping. Slowed down because of the slime which acted like glue to the floor. Naruto stared at the toad in disbelief and disgust. It had swallowed a person?!

Now the person started to move and swear… a lot!

"Dammit! Now my clothes are ruined!" the person yelled and started dried mucus from its face.

The person was dressed in a long dark cloak, which definitely was ruined, and a lose red shirt and lose jeans. The only other thing Naruto could notice about the person was short blond hair.

"You dammed Sanin! You will pay for this!" the person continued, still buzzy wiping slim and spit away from his or her own face and body.

Naruto couldn't make up with himself if the person was a boy or a girl. It was a little hard to see. Maybe he or she would reveal it.

"Uhm.. Master Jiraiya, what is the meaning of this?" Sakura asked. She sounded just as confused as he felt himself.

Before the Pervy-Sage had a change to answer, the person pointed furiously at the Sanin:

"That old pervert tricked me! He kidnapped me! He dragged me here against my will!" the person stopped accusing, realizing something. "Where exactly is here?"

"You're in the Hidden Leaf Village," Kakashi-sensei answered in his usual calm way.

When the person noticed Kakashi-sensei, he or she jumped a little in surprise and anger.

"You!?" the high voice started Naruto to held on a girl. And she knew Kakashi-sensei and the Pervy-Sage? "What are you doing here?!"

"I live here," was the calm answer.

She, now definitely a she, turned even madder to Jiraiya.

"You dragged me to village? I told you I didn't want to go back!"

"It was not your call to make. Pull yourself together!" Jiraiya cut in seriously

"Easy for you to say. You're not covered in slime!" was the answer.

Finally the women or girl, got up and removed the ruined cloak and looked around the room.

When her eyes fell on Tsunade, she bowed lightly in respect.

"Congratulation on your new job as Hokage, Lady Tsunade," she said and smiled a little.

"Well, well," Tsuande smiled surprised. "You've really grown up."

Now Tsunade knew her as well. Who the hell was she?!

"Wait a minute!" Naruto said and pointed at the girl. "Who are you and what are you doing here?! And why do all of you know her?!"

She turned and looked surprised at him and Sakura, as she first noticed them now.

"I could ask you the same thing," she answered.

"Well, Naruto this is one of my old students, Numino. Numino, this is your junior, Naruto," The Pervy-Sage explained.

"Dirty as always, Numino," Kakashi-sensei interrupted, and Naruto could hear a little smile in his voice, even it wasn't visible because of his mask.

The woman Numino looked at the silver haired man, with a tease smile on her face.

"Still too much of a chicken to show your face?" she answered, and then turned her attention towards Naruto.

She looked at him with the bluest and narrowest eyes he had ever seen. She seemed to look right through him. But no emotion was shown in her eyes. Then she lifted a single eyebrow and turned to look at the Pervy-Sage.

"He doesn't seem so tough. You sure he is your student?"

Now Naruto really didn't like her.

"What the heck do you mean?!" he shouted.

"That you seem like the type to have it all in his mouth," was the cool answer.

Naruto was about to shout even more, but Sakura cut in.

"Calm down, Naruto. She is your senior after all," she said reprovingly.

"I don't care. She has no right coming here and play all tough! She doesn't even know me!"

Numino smiled at that, like she found it hilarious, and was about to say something, but now Tsunade cut in:

"Enough! Both of you behave!"

Her brown eyes send them both a killer look.

They both shot their mouths. Naruto hadn't forgotten how strong she was, and apparently so did the woman.

"Now I know neither of you have been on missions for a while, but you have to be professional." She continued.

"He started it!" "She started it!"

They said simultaneously. Which resulted in Sakura hitting him on his head and Tsunade send them both another killer look.

"Are you done?!" she asked.

They both nodded eagerly

She snorted and turned to Jiraiya.

"I assume your idea was that Numino could join this team. They are short of one member," she said.

"That was the idea, but of course it is initially up to you," he answered and lifted his shoulder.

Naruto wanted to yell about he didn't wanted HER to replace Sasuke, but Numino herself beat him to it.

"I'm not working with those two!" she interrupted and pointed at himself and Kakashi.

Tsunade lifted her hand to silence before he could say what he wanted to say.

"Before I can make this decision, I have to now, what Numino can do. She has after all been away for more than a decade. And after that I need to know, if she is what this team needs."

"So… you want like a demonstration?" Numino asked. "I don't have my stuff!"

Tsunade ignored her and looked at Kakashi.

"Are willing to assist with another test? I understand you two know each other. You could be able to see, how much is changed."

Kakashi-sensei looked surprised, first at Tsunade and then at Numino, who looked just as stunt.

"Are you sure? I mean wouldn't be better with if Master Jiraiya took this one. She not a student of mine," Kakashi said.

"You have way better analytical skills, and you can perhaps have a fight without running the training ground completely," was Tsunades cold answer. "Any more objections?"

Numino just turned around and smiled at the silver haired jounin.

"It would be a pleasure!" all she needed was a set of fangs, and it was a true vampire-look.

Kakashi lifted his shoulder casually.

"As long as she take a bath first."

"Hey! Let's have you eaten by a frog, and see how you look!"

Naruto had made up his mind. He was not going to get along with this woman. Even though, he would like to know, what she was capable of. And it looked like he soon would find out.


	4. Chapter 4

Sparring part 1

How could they be surprised? Kakashi was late, as always! That wasn't the worst part. The worst part was that his opponent was on time.

It had been around a day since this woman Numino had returned. Naruto hadn't seen since then. She looked totally different. It had helped that she had taken a bath. And now he could see how bright her hair was. The same color as his own even though it was so short. She had changed as well. Now she was warring tight short black pants and T-Shirt that really showed athletic but a little too thin figure. A red scarf was tied around her waist with the loose ends dangling to the side. Black simple sandals and a little red hairclip kept the bangs in order, and a beautiful sword was striped to her back, and a simple poach at the other side.

She was already waiting when and Sakura arrived. She send them a single look and nod before turning to ignore them. Naruto ignore her as well.

But Sakura was in a friendly mood. After a few minutes of waiting she had gathered the courage to speak:

"So what's it like being back?" she asked nicely.

Numino looked a little surprised at the pink haired girl. Then she shook her shoulder.

"Well the rebuilding look nice," she turned at the direction of the Hokage-mountain. "And it is nice seen a woman's face up there."

"Rebuilding? How long have you been away?" Sakura asked surprised.

There had been a little rebuilding since Orochimaru had attacked, but it wasn't that much.

"Since the Nine-tails attack," was the calm answer.

Naruto looked at her in great surprise.

She send him a look with those blue eyes, he couldn't quit read that look.

Could she know?!

She gave Sakura a little smile.

"I guess it has been awhile. I haven't really have had a chance to look at everything. I'm looking forward see how much everyone has changed."

"You know Kakashi-sensei, has he changed?" Sakura asked further.

Numino looked up thoughtfully for a few seconds.

"Know and know, we are more like acquaintances," she mumbled. " He has grown a few inches since then. But other than that he looks pretty much the same I guess." She looked at the sun. "Even though I hoped that been late was just a phase."

"What!? He hasn't always been late!?" Naruto asked surprised.

Numino smiled widely and was about to say something, but she was cut off by another voice

"Okay that's enough talking about me!"

Kakashi-sensei appeared in front of them. He sounded unusually grumpy.

"I agree. I don't like talking about you anyway," Numino answered. "But perhaps it can learn you to be on time, or I'll tell them all I know about you!"

"Don't get started. There are worse thing to say about you than me." Kakashi growled annoyed.

"There are worse TRUE things to about me!" Numino smiled.

Naruto had never seen anyone making Kakashi-sensei act that way. They reminded him more of little children than professional warriors.

"Are you two ready?"

They all turned around and saw Tsunade and Jiraija step in to clearing, which was the training ground.

The childishness disappeared at once. The two shinobis straightened their backs and nodded respectfully.

"You both know the rules. I don't you two bedridden for weeks, so control your temper!" Tsunade said and looked between the two opponents.

"I'll try!" Numino smiled widely with closed eyes and flashing teeth.

They stepped a few feet away from each other and turned ready to fight! Now Naruto could see the warrior in Numino. Her blue eyes clear with concentration, and every muscle in her body ready! Kakashi looked equally serious, but he was use to that. Jet he haven't reveled his sharningan, so he couldn't be really serious. It scared Naruto a little to see how these older ninjas could turn on a switch and become lethal killing-machines in a second.

Tsunade was quite for a moment before yelling:

"GO!"

It was like two lightning and then they were at each other. It was hard for Naruto to see the moves, but he would see they were using taijjutsu.

They were moving with great agility and speed, but it didn't take long for Numino to land a kick on Kakashi's blind spot and send him to the ground.

"That's what you get for fighting me without your Sharningan!" Numino commented when Kakashi had come around.

"I guess you're right," He mumbled and lifted his headband to reveal his left eye, before he attacked again.

This time Kakashi could hold his own. That wasn't surprising. What was surprising was that Numino could follow his movements. They were using so many kicks and spin that it was incredible that it managed them both doge and counter every attack, let alone to stand in way for each other in some way, let alone returned the others ones attack.

"Incredible!" Naruto heard Sakura said next to him. "She can counter the Sharingan!"

He turned to look at her.

"What are you talking about, Sakura?"

"Remember when we fought Kakashi-sensei? We weren't able to land a single hit on him. But she can give him a hard time on her own and she takes everything he throws at her!" she explained.

"Maybe not quite," Pervy-Sage commented.

He had placed himself next Naruto.

"Take a look."

Naruto could see what he was talking about. Even though they were both patting heavily, Numino was more on the defensive now than before. She was still fast and agile, but she took longer to recover from the hits that Kakashi got in, than he did from hers.

"She is physically weaker and weighs less than he does, so there isn't so much force behind her hits, and she has a harder time coop with them." Jiraiya explained.

A that moment Kakashi land a powerful combo of knees hits and kicks on Numino, so she was send to the ground with great force. But like Kakashi, she got on her feet quick and wiped her mouth. But she didn't attack immediately. Kakashi had gotten some space between them, signaling that the taijjutsu-round was over, and probably to get some air. Both were still patting.

"That was what I expected of Numino," Jiraiya commented. "She isn't that strong, when she is not using chakra. But she is fast and agile. Just hard, it is also what Kakashi is good at. If I were her, I would start using ninjutsu."

Numino apparently didn't hear the Sanin, for she did something which seemed a little premature.

She stood for a few seconds with clenches fits and stared and her opponent.

Then she drew her sword and ran towards Kakashi with and high cry!

"Well, she hasn't change that much," Jiraiya signed.

Kakashi just drew a kunai and stooped her attack. They stood facing each other for a few second before a sound at Kakashi made him look down!

A couple of huge jaws shot up from ground and snapped after Kakashis legs.

He was fast enough to move away, but now Numino had had a chance to take a firm grip at his wrist with her left hand.

In a short moment Naruto thought that she was going to cut him half, but hold her sword, so the broad side was facing both of them held in place with her tomb finger spread over it.

Naruto could see chakra gather at her fingertips, swirling in a way that seemed familiar, but before it was really clear, she slammed her in to Kakashi's stomach; the force generated was so great that he was slung back a few meters, landing on his back.

"I guess she has learned," Jiraiya mumbled casually.

Naruto was worried for a few seconds. That was quit a hit, but Kakashi-sensei gave a sign and lifted his head and looked at Numino how was smiling triumphantly down at him.

Her sword was now placed on her shoulder.

Now the owner of the massiv jaws was visible. Up of the ground a huge monster appeared. First Naruto thought it was a big dog, but the thing was almost as big as a horse. And to massive wings were placed around its shoulder blades. Its fur was grey, except for a white strip on each side of its face. It stuck out its tong in a very dog like manner and went to Numino, who placed a hand on its head and scratched it behind one of its big ear.

"You remember Lingo, right?" she asked Kakashi, who had come back on his feet.

"He has grown," he commented. "I had thought he would be long dead by now."

"Hey, be nice to him. He understands what you say!" she laughed.

Naruto couldn't believe it! She seemed to be winning! It was the second time, Kakashi was biting the dirt, and Numino had only done it once. But the real battle was just getting started!


	5. Chapter 5

Sparring part 2

Kakashi was pissed, downright pissed, for the first time in years!

He had underestimated her, twice! He never underestimated anybody! If you did that in the ninja-world, you were dead. But Numino acted exactly as she used to. Stupid and hotheaded, and then it was a trick. He should have wondered where that huge beast had gone to. It used to be at her side all the time, when she was younger. But then it was smaller. Now those jaws looked like they could easily break his arm, and to top it off it could fly.

The worst part of it all was she could have killed him, if she had wanted to. She could have used her sword, or made her attack more concentrated and powerful. She had been "kind" enough to divide the force to each of her fingers, instead of focusing it all to her palm, so it had felt like a giant push.

Well he would show her!

No! He thought. He had to calm down. Analyze the situation, find her weak spots. He could use genjutsu. She was terrible at genjutsu. Or she used to. It certainly seemed tempting. But then again Lady Tsunade wanted to see, what she could do. Just take her down with a genjutsu hardly solved the job.

He could play her games a little more, and then he would show her! Two people could play that game!

He drew a second kunai. He had to get her moving… and away from that giant animal.

Luckily the animal didn't follow her as she started moving as he did. But it kept a close eye on the two.

But he was busy with Numino alone. She was good with swords. But he was good with knifes too.

This time they weren't in as close a combat. Now they fought with weapons that could cause great damage. They jumped back and forth and all there was heard was the metallic sounds of the weapons meeting, and the sound of their landing. The force was sometimes so great that it made metallic sparkles.

Who had the upper hand was hard to tell. Numino had a sword that could pierce Kakashi like a kebab. But Kakashi had two weapons, if she blocked one of his knives with the sword; he was free to stab her with the other. All she could do was either retread or try to stop him with her hand.

Kakashi could feel that Numino was getting tired again. But when the sword hit his kunai, and he this time he could feel the kunai yield under the sword. This time he had to withdraw.

He looked at his kunai. It was more than half cut through!

That made no sense. Kunais were smaller than sword, and Numinos sword was of particularly good quality. She had always taken good care of it, unlike how she had treated her appearance in the past. But a kunai was made of almost pure iron, and a sword was made of steal. A kunai is much harder and actually had a higher density than steal, so there was no way her sword could cut through his weapon. Unless!

He took a closer look with his Sharingan at her weapon. It was hard to see with the naked eye, but with Obitos eye it was clear.

He could see her distinct slightly darker blue chakra dancing around the blade. That was Asumas trick! Using wind-chakra was on such a long blade was hard to control. She really was getting better. Well now he had to stop going face to face, nothing could stop that sword now. Well no weapon of metal. He had to use jutsus now, and she had more chakra than him, but she would have to catch him first. Now the kid gloves were off!

He threw a couple of shuriken and kunai after her, which she avoided gracefully. He threw some more in the direction she landed. She swung her sword; it seemed a little too early to stop the shuriken, but half a second later, all the shuriken split in two in midair and whirled of to the side without hitting anything.

What in the world?! He had seen it all with his eye, it was like she had thrown her sword, but it really was wind-chakra. A really intense jutsu!

Now she could slice him into two at a distance. Time to get on the offensive!

Well first he had to stop Numino, who now had started throwing that jutsu in his direction. Boy, Numino was starting to be a pain!

Numino knew something was coming. She knew Kakashi a little too well. He always had something up his sleeve. But she still was pretty sure she had the upper hand. She had learned a lot.

She didn't want to crack her head thinking about what he was planning. She had to face it; he was smarter than her. She just had to be prepared.

Well she could keep him at a distance with her Wind-Blade. But he still kept throwing shuriken in her direction, and she couldn't stop all of them, so she had to be on her feet.

She avoided a new set of weapons and threw two Blades in Kakashi's direction in midair.

He avoided her first blade, but second was a good hit, that made Kakashi pop out of existents in a puff of smoke!

So it was a clone. She hadn't been quite sure. Now to find the real one!

She landed gracefully on the ground, when she felt something move under her feet.

What!? She looked down and a hand shut up and grabbed her ankle.

What!?

But before she could do anything, she was dragged down, but only a few centimeter, before she could kick that clone out of existence.

But now she was stuck! And what was worse, the real one jumped out from the trees and sent two kunai's in her direction.

Dam it! Kunai were too far apart to take down in one attack and she didn't have time for two.

She dropped her sword and raised her hands to pump chakra into them. The swirling disc of chakra appeared in front of her and stopped the kunai's.

Problem solved, now to get free. She didn't have long. She did a few hand signs to form a little wind-chakra, with just enough force to get her out. But she wasn't fast enough, a new set of kunai and scratched her leg and arm.

Okay, now she was pissed! She looked at her opponent.

"You almost had me there," she smiled, and made sure her teeth were visible, so he could understand, he would get it!

"Almost?! I missed on purposes!" he answered.

"Yeah, right!"

Numino started making hand signs again, but this time she wanted to use another kind of chakra.

She opened her mouth and blew a fireball after him.

But he was faster. He made another fireball to counter hers. The space between them turned in to a warm hell! But at last both fireballs ware of.

And now Kakashi started showing that he was The Copy Ninja.

He couldn't make any wind-style techniques, but he could counter all of her attack, and she had to be on her feet, but so did he.

It was not only his attack. If that was all he could, she would be able to take him. But he was darn hard to catch! When she had thought she had him, it was always a substitution or a clone.

The fight had been taken in between the threes and they were falling left and right because of their attacks.

This had become a little out of hand!

They had chased each other to the clearing again, where the others were watching, and were now standing face to face once again.

It was obvious that they both had used a lot of chakra for a friendly spar.

This had been a lot harder than she had expected. It couldn't continue this way. Time to end this!

She opened her hand and started to send chakra to it and started spin it in her hand, to form the familiar shape of a ball.

She could hear that some of the audience gasped, but she didn't care. She was focused on her opponent.

He didn't flinch by the sight of her attack. All he did was to make another familiar move; his own technique, The Lightning-Blade.

Their distinct sounds of birds and swirling chakra filled the air.

Numino knew this was dangerous. Both techniques were extremely powerful and they could wound each other badly! But she didn't care! She was going to show him! Finally!

They started to run towards each other simultaneously. Hands raised ready for collision!

They collided and the two attacks meet and started a miniature fight between the forces of nature, in the space between their palms. The strong compressed lightning chakra fighting the compressed swirling chakra, and none of them seemed to be able to win.

The fight ended two techniques creating a little explosion, which slung both of them back with great force!

Numino landed hard on her back unable to break the fall. She could feel that both techniques had burned her right arm and a little of her face. Man! It hurt!

But instinct told her, she couldn't be lying around, she got on her feet, then she had made sure, nothing was broken.

She saw that Kakashi had suffered the same thing, and he too had come back on his feet. The attacks had been equally strong and canceled each other out!

If she wasn't going to destroy everything in order to defeat him, it had to end…

"NOW!" she yelled. That was the signal.

A terrifying sound filled the clearing. Two wolf-howls located on each side of Kakashi. The place, where the genjutsu was strongest. Even though Numino wasn't caught in the genjutsu, she could still feel the terror and fear which the sound was loaded with. Kakashi became stiff and his eye became glassy.

She got him! She had won! And jet, it wasn't how it was supposed to feel.


	6. Chapter 6

Jutsu of Living Nightmare

Kakashi didn't realize what was happening before he was already caught in the genjutsu_. _

_He was in old house again, the storm was back. He looked at his hands; they were that of a child. _

_He felt it again the anxiety, the smell of blood that filled the house. He knew what was going to happen, but jet he still felt all these feelings come back to him. Everything was so intense. _

_He stepped in to his father's room, there was so dark, and the smell of blood became even stronger. A lightning lit up the room for a moment and reveled the person lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. _

_He stood there trying to understand what had happened what he was seeing. Try to hold back the tears and the anger, but he still felt the tear on his cheek. And the blood… the blood was everywhere. _

_The feeling of having the ground wiped away under you, and everything he had, he cared about was gone! The person he admired and love most was gone… again. _

_A part of him tried to break free. This wasn't real! It was an illusion! He had to wake up. But everything was so real! It was like it all happened again, and it was just as painful as before._

_He didn't know how long he just stood there, but at a time he heard someone was in the house calling his and his father's name. The voice was full of fear and insecurity, the same feelings he felt. Jet he didn't answer, he didn't even move. Not even when he heard the door opened behind him and the gasp. But when he felt the hand on his shoulder and the sympathy in the question, he felt the anger rose in him and the embarrassment. He didn't like somebody seeing him cry and least of all this person! It was worse than walking in on him naked! _

_He turned around with all the hate he had in him shown in his eyes! _

_But before the person behind him became clear, everything around him disappeared!_

Everything returned, the light, the training-ground. The next thing he felt was a sharp object pressing against his neck. A kunai, he turned his head slightly to look at the person behind him holding the kunai, and stared directly in those deep blue eyes, which seemed all too close. But there was something about them. It wasn't the triumphant look he had expected. Rather regret and guilt.

"I win," he heard close to his ear. It was more of a statement. The way things were.

What had happened? It had all been a genjutsu, but Numino couldn't do genjutsu. She sucked at it! But jet she had got him, and what kind of jutsu. How dared she?! To make a genjutsu like that, to put him through that again!

He felt it again violated, like she had steeped deep in to his mind and trashed through it!

The worst thing was that this had been a friendly fight. She hadn't been his enemy, and it had been unnecessary, and she had done it anyway!

"Very impressive," he heard Tsunades voice cut through the air, "But I think this has gone far enough."

Numino dropped the knife and Kakashi turned around to face her. She held out two fingers, the sign of peace. Her eyes were fixed to the ground. She better feel ashamed!

But he did take her two fingers with two of his own, but let go quickly.

"Look…," she began. "I'm sorry, I didn't… I…"

He cut her off.

"You made the right call. Neutralize the target as fast and easy as possible," he explained.

He didn't really felt that way, but he had to act processional. He didn't want to be childish in front of her. He didn't want to act like…

"What the hell was that?!"

…Naruto.

The audience had all come up to greet them. Naruto pointed at Numino:

"That was creepy! And how come you can use the Rasengan?!"

Numino rolled her eyes at him. Guess she didn't like someone was more loud and energetic than her.

She didn't answer at first. Just walked towards Lingo that had appeared from his hiding holding Numinos sword between his jaws. She patted the big beast and scratched it behind the ears, before taking the sword from its mouth.

"Good boy," she whispered. "You did well."

She did the same to the second wolf that showed up. It was a little smaller than the first, and its fur were of a much grayer tone. Both animals seemed pleased and licked her hand.

"And what kind of monsters is that?" Naruto asked again.

She really seemed to puzzle him. Kakashi had to admit that he had a few questions he wanted her to answer.

Numino still didn't react, just wiped her sword clean, before facing the boy with her sword resting the sword on her shoulder.

"It's rude to talk bad about someone, when they can hear you," she smiled, "and it's stupid to talk bad about someone who can rip you to pieces, when they can hear you."

Both animals licked their mouths, while have their yellow eyes fixed on Naruto, who seemed scared.

"Sorry," he said quickly.

"Shivo and Lingo are Ookamis, wolf demons, and my summons and buddies!" Numino explained and patted them both again. "I never really liked toads and frogs."

"They never really liked you either," Jiraiya commented.

"True, true."

"Okay then… but how come you can use the Rasengan?" Naruto asked.

"Kiddo, we have the same teacher. How do you think?" Numino asked again, but Kakashi noticed Numinos telling look towards him and Jiraiya. He wondered why she didn't want Naruto to know, but she must have her reasons.

Naruto looked from Jiraiya to Numino, before realizing what she was talking about.

"Now then… what was your last question?" Numino asked. "I counted three."

"What was that last attack? It gave me the creeps!"

"That was the ookamis secret genjutsu, The Living Nightmare. I never tried it before, so I didn't know it was so powerful." She looked again at Kakashi with those deep blue eyes. Sometimes it felt like looking into an abyss. "I'm deeply sorry." She said.

"Why the hell did you have to create… that?!" he growled. She was not going to forgive her that easily!

"That's the thing about this jutsu. It's different from person to person. As you properly noticed, it's a jutsu that affect your senses of hearing, so a visual jutsu, like the Sharingan is useless. Lingo and Shivo are both howling in different frequencies, and in the space between them the jutsu is most powerful. It affects the trauma-center of the brain and makes it relive one of the victim's worst memories."

Numino send him another apologetic look.

"That's so cruel!" Naruto outburst angrily.

"It was either that, or we ruined the training-ground," Numino answered. "But I'm not going to use that again!"

"Well said," they all looked at Tsuande now stepped up. "You both did a good job, even though you both made some moves I wouldn't have expected of you."

She sended them both an accusing look, before looking directly at Numino.

"I believe you rank was chunin when you left the village."

Numuno nodded:

"That sounds right. Maybe I can finally fit my vest."

"That won't be necessary. I'm promoting you to jounin!" Tsunade interrupted.

"WHAT!?" Kakashi, Numino, and Naruto exclaimed at the same time.

"She has been a chunin since she was eleven, and she has proven herself strong and capable of making the right choice. I think it's about time, she gets a promotion." Tsunade explained.

"But how come she…?" Naruto continued. Properly a little sad that someone got a promotion, when he was the only one of his classmates that wasn't a chunin.

"It's not that I don't think you had a good idea Jiraiya, but I don't think she's what this team needs. Especially when she and the team captain don't get along! I will rather have her in charge of her own team for a while. Maybe she can be a step in if ever needed." Tsunade ignored Narutos question.

"Fine with me," Numino mumbled.

"As you wish, Lady Hokage," Kakashi said and bowed.

"You're dismissed!"

Kakashi really just wanted to get out of there, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. It was Master Jiraiya. His other hand was on Numinos shoulder, and was smiling at them.

"The three of us have a lot of catching up to do! Wanna join me for dinner. My threat!"

Kakashi was surprise to say the least. Normally the sanin spend time with Naruto, not with him. The only time they were alone was when they did some serious nine-tails-talk. That wasn't exactly a dinner-topic. He had a feeling, it was because he and Numino weren't getting along, but that wasn't his fault.

"Can we join you?" Naruto asked. He looked hungry.

Jiraiya shocked his head.

"No, this is grownups talk!"

"That's not fair!"

Jiraiya didn't answered, just used a transportation-jutsu to get the three of them to the marketplace just in front of a little restaurant.

"Well you don't take no for an answer," Numino mumbled. "I could use a bath, you know, and so could he!"

Kakashi didn't want to comment on that.

"You look gortious, Numino," Jiraiya smiled.

Numino and he didn't look bad, but they weren't suited for a fancy restaurant. Numinos outfit didn't leave much to imagine. That was properly what Jiraiya had meant.

"Okay, as far as I remember, the waitresses in this place are the prettiest in the whole village!" Jiraiya smiled. "Here I come!" he disappeared in to the establishment. But Kakashi knew that he hadn't forgotten them. He would rather just go home have a bath and read his book.

He followed the sanin, but Numino grabbed him, before he could go in, her eyes big and sad.

"You must believe I'm truly sorry. Whatever it was you saw… I didn't mean for you to relive it."

"Don't worry about," he finally said.

She was generally sorry. And he knew she wouldn't let it go.

She smiled relieved.

"Thank you!"

"Hey, you two! You haven't frozen stuck out there!" Jiraiya jelled.

Numino finally let go of his arm and went in.

Kakashi waited a minute before he followed.

"_Whatever it was you saw."_

Like she didn't know, what he had seen. After all she had been there…


	7. Chapter 7

The Wolf and The Beast

Dispite what Kakashi had expected. Jiraiya kept himself in line. Well almost. He just had to comment on how beautiful the waitresses were. Numino didn't seem to mind that much. She joked about, and even pointed one of the girls out, as extremely easy.

Numino could be quiet comfortable when she didn't offended him each five minutes. She joked laughed. She had a very pure laughter. It reminded him of a running stream. She told them about her travels. Where she had been and what she had done. Kakashi had a feeling she didn't tell all of it. But fifteen years was a long time. She had been in all the five great nations, and also in many of the hidden villages.

"And no one realized who you were?!" he asked disbelieved, when she had told a story, how she had sneaked into The Hidden Cloud, and even experienced one of the Raikages speeches. "The Raikage knows you!"

Numino smiled.

"Hey, I was carful! Nothing happened! Besides I haven't been using my name for years."

"If you had you wouldn't be alive now. Your last name alone would give you a lot of trouble!" Jiraiya commented.

"Hey! Sensei! So would your name! And how you manage to sneak around without getting discovered is beyond me! You aren't exactly hard to spot!" Numino commented. "And I'm not the only one with a last name that would get me into trouble." She pointed at Kakashi. "In fact, we would all be in big trouble, if we ended being captured behind enemy lines!"

She said it in a playful tone, and it was a little absurd that she could talk about something so serious in such a way. She was right, and she didn't care. In a way that made Kakashi smile.

"Well a least I don't hide my name," he said. Ready to get back on her.

"Yeah, you're too busy hiding your face!" Numino laughed.

Why did she always come back to that!

He had to get use to that again. But she really had change a lot. The Numino he remembered was loud hotheaded, a tomboy, always messy and pretty clumsy. And she had a wild nature that couldn't be bent! This Numino was still loud, but not so it hurt his ears, like it used to. She was… well just very social. She was still a tomboy, but in a way that she knew that she was a woman, and a woman who caught men's eyes. She was simple but classy in her way. But her tong was still sharp as always. The wild was still there, but now it wasn't like a fire burring uncontrolled in her eyes. It was more like a strong ember just under the surface, ready to explode when needed!

The dinner took a while. Mostly because Jiraiya was in such a good mode, and became pretty drunk. Kakashi and Numino had to almost carry him to his logins.

When they walked to their own logins that was very close to each other, Kakashi noticed something, big, green and fast, approached them.

In the next moment they were both tackled by the big green thing that spoke very fast.

"Kakashi! What are you doing hiding this fair lady?! Abducting her?! Don't fear my fair lady! The Beast Gai is here!"

Gai leaned in on Numino with large smile. Kakashi just drew back and looked at the scenario. Numino was clearly surprised and overwhelmed by meeting someone more energetic than herself.

"Gai?" she asked.

"You know my name! That must mean that we're meant to be!" Gai jelled and swung his strong arms around Numino, while he kept talking about how they were one soul, and how beautiful she was.

"Gai, Gai, Gai," Numino called repeatedly. He didn't seem to hear her. Then Numino finally had lost her patient. "GAI!" she jelled.

He looked at her surprised.

"What, my beauty?"

"Gai, don't recognize me?" Numino asked disbelieved.

Gai looked at her again with a hard thinking look. You could almost see the wheals turn in his head.

"I think I would remember someone as lovely as you," he finally answered.

Kakashi could see Numino was getting impatient. It amused him. Not only didn't Gai recognize her, but he kept calling her lovely and beautiful, which Numino clearly didn't like. He decided to save her.

"Don't be offended lovely. Gai, doesn't remember that well," he commented.

"What did you call me?!" Numino growled. "Shut up, or I will kick your ass again!"

"I'm just trying to help."

"You're not helping!"

Now Gai really looked puzzled. He looked from one to the other and scratched the back of his head.

"This seems familiar," he mumbled.

"Gai, it's me, Numino," Numino explained. Apparently tiered of jelling at Kakashi.

"You remember my sensei's baby sister?" Kakashi explained when the name didn't seem to ring any bells.

That helped after a couple of seconds.

"Numino?!" Gai looked disbelieved at the young woman in front of him. Clearly recalling thirteen year old Numino, and had a hard time seeing the similarity. "You… You've grown!"

Numino smiled relived that he had stopped about how they were meant to be.

"So have you."

"Gai-sensei!" someone called behind them.

Kakashi recognized Lees voice. And soon the young Gai-wannabe was beside his idol with a curios look at Numino.

"Who's this?" he asked.

Numino looked first at Lee then at Gai, and shock her head, like she was seeing double. He could understand why.

"This is an old friend of mine, Numino. She has been away for a while. Are you coming back for good?" Gai asked. A little more polite and perhaps a little embarrassed.

"Well, I think so. Sensei and Lady Tsunade surly want me to stay. They're trying really hard," she answered.

"They promoted her," Kakashi commented. "Numino is a jounin now."

"Wow, you must be really strong to be promoted so fast after returning!" Lee commented.

Numino shrugged.

"Maybe," she stretched out her hand. "Nice to meet you."

Lee took her hand gladly.

"Nice to meet you too. I'm Rock Lee. Any friend of Gai-sensei is my friend!"

Numino looked at Gai.

"So you're a jounin-sensei, too? Seems like you've grown a lot too!"

"Gai-sensei is the best!" Lee smiled enthusiastically.

Kakashi could sense that Numino was being polite. Two times Gai could get on your nerves. At least he hadn't started talking about youth jet.

But he was not going to help again.

"I have no doubt about that," Numino nodded.

"How long have you been here?" Gai asked.

"Since yesterday. But I still need to settle in. My new apartment is pretty messy," Numino explained and pointed over her shoulder. "Maybe I should head back."

"I'll help you! With the sprite of youth!" Gai shouted.

And there it was.

"NO!" was Numino frightened answer. "I will handle that myself. Some of my stuff is quit personal."

"Oh, I get it!" Lee said. "Gai-sensei and I would never violent a woman's personnel life."

"And I appreciate that," Numino smiled and started walking away dragging Kakashi after her.

He didn't like it, but it got him away from the duo too.

When they had gotten far enough, Numino signed relived:

"Like one of him wasn't enough."

"You'll get used to it," Kakashi smiled.

"I doubt that."

"Then you have a problem."

"Why?"

"He's still my rival. Or that's what he says. When he hears you beat me, he will surely want to fight you."

"Even if I'm a fair lady," Numino smiled.

"Even if you are which you're not."

"Thanks, at least he didn't call me a damsel in distress."

He laughed:

"Then I would be in trouble. Because then I would be the monster, he should save you from."

"One could mistake!" Numino laughed.

That was a joke. But somehow it still bothered him a little. But he didn't say anything. Earlier this evening he could had ripped her head off. Now they were having some sort of fun. Numino was somewhat of a puzzle.


	8. Chapter 8

New jounin in town

Numino was nervous to say the least. It wasn't something that had happened often. Actually it had been years since last time. She didn't understand why. She was just meeting everyone again. There was a lot to be nervous about! Believe it or not Numino was actually a little shy and modest. She was sure everyone would make a big deal out of the fact she was back to stay.

She had wondered what everyone would say a hundred times in her mind. Not just the past week, since she returned. But every time she had thought about returning. But as time had passed, it had seemed more and more unreal. And jet, the idea of never returning had seemed impossible. She was of the Hidden Leaf, and no other place on earth could ever be home to her. It was not that it was the warmest or the most beautiful place she had ever seen, far from. She wasn't exactly sure, what it was. It's was like when you had drunken of the water of The Land of Fire you couldn't satisfy your thirst anywhere else. Or maybe it was like sensei said, wherever somebody was thinking of you, home was. She just hoped that meant somebody had been thinking of her all these years. And not just the occasional wondering if she was still alive, or what had become of her.

Tsunade had decided to introduce her to the other chunins and jounins on a big meeting. She was supposed to stand in a corner, where people couldn't see her and wait till Tsunade told so. It did take a while. It seemed the Chunin-exams were running or something. Numino was starting to get really bored. Normally she was very patient, but that was when she was laying in an ambush. Then there was the thrill of the moment. Now her stomach was just full of butterflies.

"Some of you might have heard that a shinobi, whom have been traveling for a long time, have returned," started Tsunade. "I know it might not seem like a big deal, but we also have a new jounin in our midst."

Numino stepped out of the corner, so everyone could see her. She took a look around. Some she recognized instantly. Like Kurenai, Genma and Anko. But others was very different, it took a while for her to recognize Asuma and Ebisu. Asmua had grown a beard, and Ebisu was wearing some stupid glasses. But she recognized almost everyone. She had asked Tsunade to bring the older chunins and jounins. She could deal with the young ones later. Now she wanted to meet her friends.

For a moment no one said anything. She wondered if any for them recognized her. Kakashi had, but not Gai. But now she might confuse them. She was wearing a standard jounin-outfit. The sleeves was a litter shorter, and so were the pants and of course she was wearing the west. If Jiraiya-sensei had been here, he might had thought she looked a little too much like her brother, with her short blond hair and her bangs hanging down in front of her forehead protector. That wasn't her fault! It wasn't like she was trying to look like him! But even she had to admit the two of them were a lot alike. She just hoped none of the others would bring him up.

After a few seconds, the crowd moved and let a brown haired woman pass in front of the others. She was clearly a chunin, with long beautiful hair and kind brown eyes. She looked at Numino with disbelieve.

"Numino Namikaze?" she finally asked.

Numino smiled.

"Aria Kugama?" she asked. It wasn't really a question. She recognized the woman.

That was all the two old friends needed. She swung her arms around her best friend.

She heard the others starting talk, and remind some of the others, who she was, but she didn't care. Aria mattered and nothing else!

She heard a few quiet sob by her shoulder, and looked at Aria. Her eyes were starting to become red.

"Aria, what's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing, I'm just so happy, you are alive. I never thought I should see you again," Aria answered, sounding embarrassed.

"Hey! Did you think I could be put down so easily?! My last battle is going to be so big that it's going to make a huge crater, and it's going to be at battle to remember, and the whole world is bound to hear about it!" Numino commented.

Aria let out a laugh between the sobs.

"You haven't change at all," she smiled. "You never change."

"Yeah, but you really have change, Aria. A chunin! I knew you could do it!"

Aria blushed:

"Thank you."

Numino would've continued, if not a hand on her shoulder, had made her face Anko, smiling that dangerous smile.

"Hey there, how're you doing?" she asked. "We were starting to think, we would never see your ugly face around here again."

Numino didn't even answer back, just embraced her friend. She noticed Kurenai next and, and turned to her, and gave her an embrace as well.

"Hey, nice to finally see you." Kurenai said.

And then they all were all over her. Smiling, batting her on her back. Genam took her by the hair and pulled it friendly, like he used to do, when she was younger and shorter.

"Nice to see you didn't get yourself killed out there alone, kid," he laughed.

"I don't think you can call me kid anymore," Numino answered a little annoyed he still insisted to treat her like a kid. He wasn't that much older than her.

"You will always be kid to me," Genam just responded.

"I would be a little more careful, if I were you. I bet Numino is a whole lot stronger than any of us." Asuma commented with a cigarette dangling in the mouth.

"How do you know that?" Genam asked.

"How did she get promoted so quickly after returning? She must have done something impressive," he answered.

Somehow it made her feel bad. She wasn't exactly proud of the way, she became jounin.

"And it runs in her family," Asuma pointed out.

Now they were there. She knew they were going there. She hoped Asuma knew how she felt, and wouldn't ask too much. She could still save this, but then she had to turn around.

"It was nothing really. I got lucky," she said. "And that guy underestimated me."

"My god, you beat up one of us!?" Anko asked. "Who?!"

There. Now they were talking about something else.

"Kakashi," she said.

"That I don't believe!" Asuma said. He almost dropped his cigarette. "He never underestimates an opponent!"

"Well I'm just that good an actress," Numino smiled.

Then they all talked. Everyone would like to know, how she did it, where she had been. How strong she was. Finally she stopped them.

"Hey, can I just have some privacy with my friends," she smiled to Aria, Anko and Kurenai.

Then the crowed dismantled, with people saying, "see you around" and so on.

She stopped Asuma for a moment.

"I heard what happened with the third," she said. "I'm sorry."

Asuma smiled. His weird sad smile that had gotten even weirder since the last time she saw him.

"Thank you, but it's been three years. I'm fine."

She nodded and he left. Numino turned to her friend. Anko was smiling playful.

"I wouldn't hit on Asuma if I were you," she said.

"Why not?"

"Because Kurenai and he have a thing going," she answered.

"Anko, stop that!" Kurenai said and blushed.

Numino started laughing. She hadn't expected that, but she thought those two were a perfect match.

"Don't worry, Kurenai, I wasn't hitting on your boyfriend. I was just paying my condolences after what happened with his father and all," she explained.

"Funny you do it yourself, but you don't want other people to do it!" Anko commented, suddenly sounding pretty mad.

"What are you talking about?"

All three girls looked at each other. Aria was the first to talk:

"It's just, we were all feeling sorry for you after what happened, and you just left without a word. We felt like we didn't mean anything to you. And we didn't even know if you were coming back."

Numino immediately felt bad. They were right that she had left so fast that she hadn't had time to talk to anybody. She just wanted to leave. Get as far away from the village as possible, and away from the only thing that kept her there, and the thing that made her leave. Also maybe because she didn't want their sympathy. She didn't want to be reminded of what had happened.

"I'm sorry. I guess I wasn't thinking strait. It was a long time ago," she said.

"Fifteen years," Anko commented, still sounding a little angry.

Anko and Numino had a lot in common. Both a little hothead and tomboy that often brought them both in trouble back then. They were both students of the great sanins. The two of them could make a team together with Sisune. Only thing was, her and Anko had always trouble getting along when they weren't along with Kurenai and Aria to keep them apart.

The four girls found a little café where they could talk. They wanted to know everything about her journey. She told them, what they wanted to know, but not more. Fifteen years of journey would take a long time, and she wasn't in the mood.

"So you are over everything that happened back then?" Aria asked.

"It's a little weird to return. A lot of things are coming back, but actually I've been fine with all that for years. I just never had an excuse to come back," Numino explained.

"We thought you acted like the Hokage, when she lost her boyfriend," Anko commented.

"It wasn't just my brother's death that made me leave. I realized that I couldn't defend myself. My brother was always there to take care of me. I had to learn to it! I was thirteen and a chunin!" it hurt to talk about it, but it helped. "The ironic thing is that people always assumed that I would be the one to die young. I wasn't the type to survive a war! I guess a presumed, they were right. I had never thought about surviving the Yellow Flash of the Leaf."

The others were quite for a moment, before Numino continued:

"Well, I guess I decided at least one of us would turn thirty, and I had two ways of doing that. I could either retire, which is not in my nature, or I could learn to keep myself alive on the battlefield without having a brother or a teammate watching my back. Only then would I be able to watch someone else's back!"

"And how is that going?" Anko asked.

"Just fine. I kicked a jounins and an old protégé's bud!"

"I still can't believe you actually defeated Kakashi! Asuma and I haven't even come close, and even Gai only wins very rarely." Kurenai said disbelieved.

"Now we are talking about guys, have you met anyone while traveling?" Anko asked.

"Of course! Just not someone special. I guess I have to stay single a little longer." Numino signed.

"None of the guys attracting you?" Anko kept asking.

Numino shocked her head.

"They're all a bunch of idiots in my opinion. What about you?"

"Well Kurenai is with Asuma, but we don't really know more. They're really secret," Aria explained.

Kurenai blushed once again.

"Would you guys stop?! It's none of your business!"

"That's not all. Aria here has something going too!" Anko smiled.

"Really? Who?" Numino asked.

"It's nothing. Iruka and I are just friends." Aria defended, but she also blushed.

"Well, well so that's his name!" Numino smiled. "Who is he?"

"He's just an Academy teacher, we spend some time at the orphanage together. His parents were killed in the Nine Tails attack," Aria explained.

"So you're just friends?" Numino asked. "Nothing there. No spark, no flirting?"

She knew Aria. It didn't matter that they hadn't seen each other for years. Aria lied.

"Well, maybe. But we haven't done anything."

"Take it slow, eh?" Numino smiled.

"Well it's not like we're in a hurry. He is teacher so he's not getting any dangerous missions, so we have to do something before he's killed!" Aria defended.

Got her!

"But you're," Numino commented. "Especially with your ability, you should take care."

Aria had a very rare ability. She could transfer her own chakra to others. It would have been perfect, if she wasn't pretty low on chakra. But she had gotten so much stronger, Numino could feel it.

"It sounds a little too boring for my taste," Anko sighed.

"Well it's nice to have something safe. It's not like we have too little danger in our profession, so a quite love life would be nice," Numino said.

"To hear that from you, Numino! There has never been anything safe about you!" Anko laughed.

She was right. Numino had never been the one to take things slow. Many things had changed, but not that fact. But then again, she was twenty-eight and still single, and something told her there wouldn't come anyone new into the picture for quite a while.


	9. Chapter 9

Ghosts

_She was running. She knew she had to hurry! Something bad was going to happen! She knew it! Her heart was filed with a bad felling!_

_She kept calling out! Tried to delay it! Tried to stop it! But her voice made no sound. It was like, she was mute. _

_Finally she could see them, and she called out lauder, but they didn't seem to hear her. And then she was stopped by a barrier that closed them in. _

_She started banging and screaming, but nothing helped! Inside the barrier, it happened. What shouldn't happen! Happiness turned into misery right before her eyes, and she could do nothing about it! She was filled with despair and anger! They didn't have to do this! There had to be another way! There just had to! For them, there was always another way! They chose this! How could they do that?!_

_When it had ended, the barrier finally disappeared. She hesitated. But then she heard the cries and it weakened a protective instinct in her, and she rushed to the crying infant. She held it tight and tried to comfort it, but her own tears still streamed down her face. The infant must had felt it, for it wouldn't stop crying. It was like all the misery in the world was in that little creature's crying and she felt consumed by it. She wasn't even sure if it was the infants cries and not her own. She wasn't even sure, who she was anymore! Everything was different._

She woken with a bagging heart and covered in cold sweat! It took a few seconds, before she realized where she was; in her new apartment.

She looked at her hands. They belonged to an adult not a teenager. She signed in relief. It was just a dream. That dream! She hadn't had it for years!

Well she could have expected that with all the ghosts in the Leaf Village. It just annoyed her that she couldn't handle it better now that she was a grown up!

Was it because she was worried for Naruto, Kakashi and the others? They had been in the Sand in a long time. Well they had to save the Kazekage! It wasn't just done in a day!

She might be worried a little for the kid. He was a Jinchuuriki, and he might be near the people, who were after him. He was hotheaded, and sensei had spoken about trouble with the seal.

But then again, he seemed pretty thought, and Kakashi was with him. They might not be the best of friends, but she knew he was a good shinobi, and he would do anything to keep the kid safe.

She looked out of the window. It was still dark outside, and she was still pretty tired. She had just returned from her first real mission. She had forgotten how exhausting it was!

She went up to drink a little water to calm her nerves, before going back to bed.

Naruto felt really bad for Kakashi-sensei. First he saved their lives and basically turned into a cripple, and then he got stuck as luggage on Gai-sensei's back, dragged through half the continent with a speed that was close to inhuman.

Now Gai was lecturing Lee about how he only got on third place, because of the half dead jounin on his back.

Gai was cut off, when a clear almost musical laughter rang through the area. It was a woman's laughter and it was full of scorn.

Naruto turned his head to see, where the sound was coming from.

His eyes felt on a kunochi dressed in normal jounin outfit. He recognized Numinos blond hair.

She was cracked up laughing, like the two jounins, one on top of the other, was the most hilarious thing, she had ever seen!

It made him mad! How could she do something like that when Kakashi-sensei was very bad?!

Weren't they suppose be some kind of friends?

Gai didn't seem to get, what Numino was laughing of.

"Numino dear, what cause this overjoying behavior?"

By hearing the word "dear", Numinos laughter stop instantly, she and became annoyed.

"Would you like to stop calling me that?! I'm no one's "dear!" she growled. She gave Kakashi a curios look. "Maybe you should get him to that hospital. He doesn't look so good."

Gai looked at the still body on his back.

"Well I guess. Man, that new Sharningan really took all he had," he mumbled.

By the word, "new Sharningan" Numinos eyes narrowed, but it was gone, before Naruto could say if it was fear, anger, or something else. And then she smiled:

"Ah he is just getting older. It's good you all come back in one piece," she looked at Naruto when she said it.

"But Numino, aren't you just a couple of years younger than us?" Gai asked confused.

Numino snapped, before putting herself together.

"I was just joking, now would you go to the hospital already?!"

"Oh, right!" Gai said and ran in the direction of the hospital leaving a cloud of smoke behind.

Kakashi felt pretty embraced by the thought of having ridding on Gais back all the way from Wind to Fire! He couldn't really remember, if they meet anybody. He was driving in and out of consciousness, and it was going pretty fast. But both his own and Gais students had seen it, and Numino had. In a way that bother him the most. Maybe because the young ones did know that it wasn't his fault! Or maybe it was because he would hear it from Numino for a long time. He wasn't sure which it was. Actually it didn't matter. He was in a hospital for at least a week, and he couldn't move! He hadn't thought the Mangekyou Sharningan would have so much effect on him. Well he wasn't an Uchiha and even they risked damage by using it, so what had he expected?

Tsunade had been there, getting his report and checking up on him. She had said, she would return later. Sakura had received some information about Orochimaru that maybe could lead them to Sasuske, and he was laying here useless! He was starting to turn into a really crappy sensei!

"Something you want to tell me?" it was almost wired to hear that voice serious and accusing was even weirder.

"What would I want to tell you?" he asked again. He was NOT in the mood to talk to her right now! It took too much energy, and he didn't have too much of that now.

"Your eye! Gai said you had a new eye!" was the answer. "Is it the same eyes as Itachi had?"

She must have reached a lot to find that out.

"As far as I recall, you weren't the type to study, or is it only then you are looking for something to bother me with?" he growled.

"I was trying to find out what has happened when I was gone. How could you think it had something to do with you?" she sounded a little upset.

He turned his head, even though it hurt to look at her. She was dressed in a new Jounin uniform and was sitting in the window with her legs dangling inside, almost childish. But her eyes were dead serious.

"Then why did you come here to ask me about such thing? That's none of your business?" he asked.

"Because I know you got it, and I have pretty idea how YOU got it, so would like to tell me, why you can first use it now? Or if you're okay?" Numino answered.

"Are you worried for me?" Kakashi asked almost surprised.

"We're comrades! We look after each other, and I'm maybe the only person besides you, who know what you did and are still alive. I just want to make sure, you're okay that's all!"

"I'm fine! The only thing that bothers me is the speed of my recovery or rather lack of it, and my annoying visitor!" he almost yelled.

Numino didn't seem bothered. Any other person would be surprised to see him mad, but Numino got him mad on a regular basis, so she was used to it, even though it had been awhile. She was just a little angry.

"You're not okay! And you know it! If you want to be like that, fine! This is the last time I will offer my help to you!" she gave again and turned to leave through the window.

"Fine by me!" he returned.

She turned her head, and he almost expected her to stick out her tongue, like she used to, when they were arguing, but instead she had a strange sad look in her eyes. A looked he had only seen a few times and it brought back bad memories.

She looked like, she wanted to say something, but kept it in, before jumping out on a nearby roof and disappeared.

He signed. Now he remembered why he hated her so much. Well not her. More like memories she brought with her. Memories of a happier time where everything was less complicated and brighter, and of times of sorrow. Times where had seen that look of sadness and hurt in her eyes, and it had made him feel guilty and angry, like it did now.

Why did she have to bring that up? It had nothing to do with her. She hadn't brought it up when it happened, but then they hadn't seen so much of each other.

Maybe it should be that way. They should just avoid each other. Pretty hard since they were neighbors and collages. Tsunade and Jiraiya seemed to have plans about her helping with Naruto, or something. If anyone knew anything about the seal besides the Toad Sage, it was her. Even though she never had much talent for seals, she had surprised him before, so maybe he should just shut up and let it happen.

That girl had brought nothing but trouble for him!


	10. Chapter 10

The New Team Member

Tsunade was annoyed. All her plans were ruined! She only had a matter of days to deiced, what she would have to do about the Sasuske lead. Kakashi was bedridden for at least a week, and now his team consisted only of a chunin and a genin. She had to get new team members. Her first thought had been Numino, but then she had heard about Narutos outburst during the mission, and had decided to get Tenzou, or Yamato, as he now was called.

Both he, Numino and Kakashi had had the situation explained. Numino had had a little hard to understand, why Tsunade trusted Yamato more than her with this, but Jiraiyas story and scar and her explanation about Yamatos abilities, had made her understand, even though she could see that the younger woman didn't like the idea about The fouth's seal was weakening.

Instead she had insisted to look his papers through to find a solution.

She seemed to get along with the brown-haired man, and Tsunade had played with the idea that Numino could take the other free spot on the team. They would properly come close to Orochimaru, and two jounins would be useful.

But then, Danzo had showed up with a new team member, and he wouldn't take no for an answer. So now the boy Sai was on the team, a boy she didn't trusted. She had instructed Yamato to keep a close eye on him, she could do nothing more.

She signed and read the same report for the third time without getting a single word, when a knock on the door interrupted her.

"Come in!" she answered.

The door opened and Numino stepped in. Tsunade was immediately on the alarm. She knew Numino well enough to know, she wasn't scared for yelling at the Hokage, if it suited her. But she didn't looked upset at all, but maybe it was just a façade.

"It's a little late," she noted. It was almost ten in the evening.

Numino shrugged his shoulders.

"I had an idea, and I was afraid I could forget it in the morning," she smiled. "I'm quit forgetful."

"What is it?"

Numino didn't say anything, just bit her thumb and made the familiar hand sign, before slamming her hand in the ground and a puff of smoke appeared.

When the smoke had cleared Tsunade recognized the smaller of the two wolves-like creators, Numino had used during the fight against Kakashi, the one called Shivo.

"That's your idea?" Tsunade asked skeptical.

"Let me explain," Numino started. "Shivo is my best spy. Since I can't go on that mission, I thought it wouldn't hurt to have Shivo along. He might help, and at the same time, he could give me useful information about The Nine Tails' seal."

"Yamato will give a report, when he gets back, IF anything happens."

"I want to see it with my own eyes, and if I can't do that Shivo is the next best thing," Numino explained.

Tsunade looked at the big animal, how had its eyes fixed faithfully on Numino, waiting for an order. It looked pleased, like it understood that Numino, its master, praised it. Tsunade didn't know much about these creatures, actually close to nothing. She didn't know anyone else who had these summons.

"Numino?" Tsunade asked. "Do you have a telepathic bond with these wolves?"

Numino shrugged her shoulders again.

"I think so. It's hard to tell how, but they can show me, what they have seen, heard, smelled. I can even hear what they are thinking, and if they wish, I can even see it, even though they are miles away."

"That's why they make useful spies?" Tsunade asked.

"Yes and no," Numino smiled and panted Shivo on the head, "Shivo is special."

"What can he do?"

Numino smiled mysteriously.

"He is a good waterstyle user," was her answer.

"Very well. If you promise, he won't be a burden."

"You won't be disappointed!"

Numino had not been worried this time. It was not because Shivo was there. He was a good water-style user. A magnificent one for an Ookami, and they were good. But you needed more than water to defeat Orochimaru. He was after all a Sanin. When she thought about, the fact that Shivo was there made her more nervous.

It was that telepathic thing. She couldn't see what Shivo was seeing, or feel his feelings when there was no physical contact, unless she concentrated really hard. She didn't want to do that too often, because it distracted Shivo. Not a good idea, if the ookami was engaged in a fight. And jet she had that much contact with her summon that she would know, if he was hurt, and he would contact her, if any of the others were hurt.

She could feel that things were happening, but no one had died jet, so she wasn't too worried.

She didn't have much to do. Her missions weren't too interesting. So she trained a lot.

She had looked in at Kakashi once, but he didn't seem too happy, so she left quickly after, she had told them that none of his students were dead.

When Shivo returned, Numino was out training. She could feel him near, but she didn't reacted until she heard the wing slaps behind her and the loud bump, when he landed.

She turned around. He looked pretty much the same, as when he left. He had a few scratches and looked a little tired, but other than that he looked fine.

"Hello my friend," Numino smiled and kneeled down, so the two were at eyelevel, and the big animal headed closer, so Numino could lay a hand on his head, so she could see, what he had seen the last couple of days.

Numino could now see the two new members of Kakashis team. Yamato and Sai seemed strange in their own way. Yamato with his woodstyle and Sai with his lack of emotion.

Of course Naruto wasn't too pleased with either Sai or Shivos presents.

But that was excepted. She heard a lot about of a boy named Sasuke, which she learned was a former member of the team. An Uhicha whom had turned rouge, and had joined Orochimaru.

Naruto really cared about that boy. He went as far as the fourth tail to appear.

Numino had sent Shivo on the mission so she could analyze Naruto's transformation herself. But the sight terrified her! Her nightmare returned with full strength, and she felt so bad for sending Shivo into such danger. But he had been smart enough to keep out of too much trouble. He had help fighting Orochimaru and his servant, Kabuto. He had even saved Sakura, when she fell of the bridge due to The Nine Tails rage.

"Good boy," she mumbled when he showed her that.

"Thank you, my Lady," Shivo answered telepathically.

"I told you to call me Numino," she signed.

She had told him and Lingo that a hundred times, but at that point, they disobeyed her.

She didn't care right now. She wanted to see the rest that Shivo had seen.

She saw how that boy, Sai, had turned out to be a kind of double agent. And how they had found Orochimarus hideout, and got a hold on Kabuto, and Narutos brave word, about how he would fight for his friends no matter what.

Numino was beginning to think that this boy might just more than talk and a hot head.

When they tried to locate this Sasuske, Shivo had done his best with his firstclass nose, but he didn't know the boys sent, and it properly didn't matter, for Naruto and Sakura were storming around without senses. When they found Sai, and they discovered his true mission for Danzo, Numino weren't surprised.

She had never liked Danzo, and he never liked her. Not just because of the fact that she belonged to the thirds line of students and their students, but also because they were totally opposites of each other.

Numino was a hothead, and never followed the rules, if she didn't thought it was right, and never counseled her feelings on any matter, and a woman. Everything Danzo didn't like.

She didn't like him; not only because of all that, but because of the way he used to treat her brother, a man, whom she had admired above all else. He had treated him as a boy straight from the academy and not a war hero and a strong leader.

Apparently Sai wasn't that much like Danzo, for he didn't try to kill Sasuske, when he was finally found him.

When Shivo saw the boy, Numino immediately recognized Mikkotos features in the young boy. He was in every inch an Uchiha, for the good and for the bad. Numino had always respected the Uchiha's for their strengths, but defiantly not for their attitude.

They, like all the talented and stoic people in the village, had underestimated her.

When she had seen it all, the short fight and the escape of the three, she got free of Shivos mind. She had some things to think about and do.

She also knew that Naruto needed help, if he wanted to beat his old teammate. She might be able to help. But first she had a little catching up to do about what had happened in the village the last couple of years. She also had to read about The Nine Tails seal. Try to find a way to help. Jiraiya was too busy, and her brother's paper of the matter was hers, until his son was old enough.

All in all she had to study.

Dam it! She had thought that had ended after the academy. But if she wanted to use seals, she had no choice, and she had a feeling she might need it before very long.

If she had to read, she thought, she just as well could use some company.

"Well, Shivo," she smiled. "Let's see how Kiddo and Kakashi's doing."


	11. Chapter 11

Wind

Naruto was excited! He was going to train with Kakashi-sensei! It had been ages since last time, and that had been the tree climping exercise with the others. And now they were going to work with something even stronger than the Rasengan! And he was more determined than ever to become stronger than Sasuske.

Kakashi-sensei seemed happy in his own calm relaxed way. But after he had dispelled his own clone after rock paper scissors, he suddenly became serious. His eyes were fixed on the forest the clone had entered.

First Naruto thought, it was just because he was displeased about losing the bet. But then he started talking:

"How long have you been hiding back there?!" he asked loudly.

First Naruto had no idea of, what or who he was talking to. He knew Kakashi-sensei had better senses than him, but he hadn't even sensed anything!

There came no answer. Instead a figure moved quickly from the forest towards them.

He recognized Numino on the blond hair. She looked more like a boy than ever in the green and blue jounin-uniform.

She smiled:

"I was wondering how long it would take for you to notice me!"

"What are you doing here?!"

Kakashi-sensei suddenly looked very annoyed, more annoyed than when Gai was around.

Numino seemed oblivious to Kakashis displeased look:

"I had some studying to do, and I was getting bored. So I wanted to see, how you were planning on improving the Rasengan!"

"Why were you hiding?" Naruto asked.

He didn't really like the cocky woman, especially since she laughed at Kakashi- sensei, when they returned to the village after the Sand-mission.

Numino looked at Naruto, almost surprised:

"I was curious to see, how long I could hide without you guys noticing me!" Numino answered. She looked back at Kakashi: "That took a while. You're getting sloppy!"

Kakashi looked more and more like a thundercloud, but he socked it of, when Yamato started to speak.

"Hello, Numino, it's nice to see you again." He said politely and bowed slightly.

Numino bowed back:

"You too, Yamato. I hope Shivo was helpful."

Naruto had forgotten that the big creature, which had accompanied them on their last mission, was one of Numinos summons! That thing had actually saved Sakura, and he had done nothing but hurt her!

"He was of great help. I was surprised. He is a great Waterstyle-user!"

"Well, Ookamis are great element-users, but Shivo is one of the bests." Numino smiled and pattered the great Shivo, which had also appeared from the forest. He seemed pleased with his mistress' praises.

Numino looked up at the giant waterfall and the trees, which Yamato had created, with great amassment.

"You're seemed to be pretty good at elements yourself. Never thought I should see the Woodstyle in action!"

Yamato seemed almost embarrassed by Numinos praise. He looked almost like a schoolboy, which have been given attention by the pretty girls. Grownups were all the same, Naruto thought.

"Well, it's not my fault I can do that. You can say it was a twist of fate…"

"Shivo told be about, what Orochimaru said!" Numino interrupted Yamato, who was beginning to look uncomfortable, and that seemed to be the end of that.

"That thing can talk!" Naruto interrupted and looked amazed at the ookami.

Shivo growled a little of being called "a thing".

"He is a wolf of few words, but he talks to me," Numino explained and patted him again, so he stopped growling. "Hey Kiddo, congratulation with your element! Windstyle is pretty cool! It's my element too!"

"What!? No way!" Naruto yelled. He couldn't believe that he had that in common with her! They almost had the same hair and eye color. They had the same sensei, and they could both use the Rasengan.

Numino just smiled. She seemed to be in a good mood today:

"Of course! My name isn't Namikaze for nothing! Would you like a demonstration?"

Naruto wasn't sure. He would like to see what wind could do, but he didn't like to give her a chance to show off!

Numino seemed to get tired of waiting and turned to Kakashi, who was beginning to look impatient!

"Hey, do Yamato and I include in that bet?" she asked

"What do you mean?"

"Do you treat us all to ramen?"

"No!" was Kakashi quick answer.

"That's not very nice! How about another bet?"

"No!"

"You stingy masked coward!" Numino mumbled and turned to Naruto.

"What about you, Kiddo? You seem to be lucky today. How about a bet with me? If I win, you will buy ramen to Yamato and me, and if you win I will buy you ramen every day for the next week!"

"Done!" Naruto yelled. She was going to regret it!

"Okay, I bet that if you make two dozen of those shadow-clones of yours, I will dispel them all with Windstyle, without making a single scratch on the real you!"

Naruto smiled confident. He had never met anyone, who could tell the difference between one of his clones and himself. She was SO gonna regret this bet!

He made his familiar hand sign and about twenty-four clones puffed into existence. They all had as large a smile as him. No way could she make them all disappear without at least once attacking the real Naruto!

Numino mumbled something about; one of the kiddo was enough and drew her long sword.

"Hey!" one of his clones yelled. "Don't use that creepy technique! You could cut me in half!"

"Relax! I won't make the attack as powerful as before. Just enough to dispel your clones! It will not be harmful to you. Besides, I won't miss!"

She suddenly seemed much focused. She looked at each clone one at the time, and then closed her eyes for a few seconds, almost as she was listing or perhaps smelling.

When her eyes opened again, she had a total different look in her eyes. Cold, calm and ready for action! She was in shinobi-mode!

Naruto was again surprised how these older and more experienced worriers could almost transform in seconds. Few seconds ago Numino seemed carefree and cheerful, now he was glad, she was on her side. Oddly enough, Shivo also seemed focus. He didn't look like; he was going to attack, more like he wouldn't miss one detail of the fight!

He would properly eat Naruto alive, if he hurt Numino. But there was no need. He would have his ramen!

Numino sword started to glow blue of chakra. And then she swung it, and a clear sword-like gust of wind attacked the nearest of the clone, which disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Luck, she was not going to keep it up. She would hit him, sooner or later.

She swung again, and again, and again! More and more clone disappeared.

Okay maybe he was going too easy on her. He started mowing around and the clones did the same.

"Try to not to hit me now!" he thought.

Numino didn't seem bothered at least by the new obstacle. She just kept swinging her sword, and more and more clones puffed away.

Naruto noticed that he could feel how the clones had felt, then the wind-chakra hit them. How come he had never noticed it before?!

Now there was just five Narutos left!

Okay, she was really lucky!

Numino had stopped swinging, and placed her sword in the sheath at her back.

"That should be enough." She said.

"You're giving up!?" Naruto asked.

"Don't' forget, we had the same master, Kiddo."

"Stop calling me "Kiddo"!"

"What did he taught us?" Numino asked.

"To never give up!"

"Right!" Numino started to make hand signs. "Wind-style: Four-cyclone Dance!"

Four whirlwinds appeared out of thin air, and hit the four remaining clones with deadly accuracy and tore them apart!

Now there was only one Naruto left.

Numino tilted her head curiously.

"I guess, you're not as stupid as you look." She said and made another series of hand signs. "Wind-style: Strom of knives!"

This attack was much less accurate, but still powerful, and the strong gusts of wind was sharps as knifes, and it cut deep cuts in the last Naruto, before he too disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Are you crazy?!" Nartuo yelled and appeared form his hiding place in a nearby tree. "What if the last one had been the real me?!"

"But it wasn't, because you're the real one!" Numino smiled, suddenly her old carefree self. "And as far, as I can see, I didn't scratch you, so you lose the bet!"

"How do you know, there isn't more clones hidden around?"

"First of all, I can count. You made twenty-four clones, and a have taken twenty-four down, and secondly, I can't senses any other clones nearby," Numino said.

"Are you trying to make me believe, you can tell the difference between a shadow-clone and a real person?!" Naruto asked disbelieving.

She shook her head slowly side to side:

"More or less."

"How?!" Naruto asked eagerly.

Numino smiled secretly and patted her nose with a finger:

"That is my secret. Maybe some other time, kiddo."

"Why didn't you say that before?"

"Would you have agreed to the bet, if had told you? Besides I'm getting hungry and I forgot my purse."

Naruto didn't answer. He couldn't believe he had to buy ramen for these two jounins! He had lost the bet!

"You bitch!" he growled.

"Hey, speak nicely to your senior!" Numino smiled.

"You're not my senior! You're a cheating bastard!"

"And you're a poor loser." Numino said calmly. "I won fair and square. Right guys?" she looked at Yamato and Kakashi.

Kakashi nodded:

"That was a little dirty, but she did beat you, Naruto."

Yamato shocked his shoulders:

"I got free food, so I can't complain."

"That's SO unfair! You two make so much more money than me!" he pointed at Yamato and Numino.

"Should have thought of that, before you agreed on the bet," Numino smiled with close eyes and reveled her teeth. "Don't worry. I promise, we won't buy the most expensive thing, but maybe the second most!"

Naruto was about to yell some more, but Kakashi-sensei interrupted him.

"Naruto let's get started on your training. Make as many clones as it takes so at each of them has a leaf from that tree."

He pointed:

"Your training is to cut a leaf with your chakra alone." His eyes was fixed on Numino, who had found some scrolls, which she started reading, completely ignoring Kakashis staring.

Naruto would like nothing more, than forgetting about that stupid bet, so he made clones and got to work.


	12. Chapter 12

New mission

Numino was beginning to get a little bored. She could find nothing useful in her brother' papers! Or maybe she had, but she wouldn't know. She understood maybe two thirds of what was written. She had only begun to study seals, so she didn't get it all, so she had gotten a couple of books from the library, which she used as some sort of dictionary, but it was still hard to get!

What the hell had she gotten herself into?!

"Yeah! I'm half through!" one of Narutos clones jelled.

Not to mention Numino had a lot of distraction. Maybe she should just go back to her apartment. Problem was, Numino didn't like being inside. She loved being outside, preferably in the woods. She sometimes felt like she was suffocating, when she was inside. It had gotten worse since she had returned to the village. She hadn't really had a roof to stay under the last years, and she had gotten used to sleep under the skies.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Kakashis voice:

"Let's take a break, Naruto."

"But I'm not even tired!" Naruto complained.

"What about hungry? Maybe get some of that ramen he owes you?" Yamato suggested.

He had placed himself in a circle of wooden statues and had his palm with a seal on it directed at Naruto.

"And some of that you owe us!" Numino smiled and jumped up.

Naruto didn't seem happy about being reminded of their bet, but a grumbling from his stomach made him bit it.

He dispelled the clones, and stood for a few seconds before collapsing. Kakashi caught him before he hit the ground.

"He's not use to this way of training jet," Kakashi mumbled just loud enough for her to hear. "A little food should get him back on his feet."

"If you say so," Numino replied and looked at the boy's face with a mix of concern and curiosity. "You're sure he's not faking it, so he doesn't have pay for lunch?"

"Naruto isn't like that!" Kakashi answered a bit too sharp. "He never goes back on his word!"

Numino backed away with a charming smile and held up her hands.

"Again, if you say so."

It turned out, the boy wasn't faking. Who wouldn't faint after such and ordeal? She herself had trained with clones before, to get a faster result, but never in such a number as the boy in front of her, and she felt like dying every time she did it. In fact she had given Kakashi the idea to apply clones to Narutos training, since he had such a talent for it.

During lunch she did her best not to look at the boy. His manners were so horrible that it took away her appetite, and she was used to eat along those wolf-like creatures, who tore big loafs of meat from their pray, and fought over it, like their life was on the line.

That was how okamis lived: Wild, but with order in it.

This boy was much worse!

This boy, just swallowed the noodles, so she was worried he might choke. Instead she tried to get to know Yamato better. But he would tell very little about himself. She tried to make him tell her about, his hobbies, but it was like getting a straight answered from Kakashi, about his dream for the future, or anything else personnel. Yamato was at least polite.

"A little too polite for my taste," she thought.

"Oh, stop it! You are NOT looking for a date! Not here in The Leaf!"

"I said, I wasn't interested, and you shouldn't call it date, you should call it man-hunting!"

"Shut up!"

"Do ANBU learn to answer vaguely?" she asked in her head, trying to thinking about something else. This was stupid!

Naruto seemed buried in thoughts, when he finally had finished his ramen.

"You, Numino right?" he asked after a minute or two.

Numino looked up from her own lunch, which she ate a little more respectably.

"Yes?" she answered.

"You're a wind-style user too, right?"

She nodded again.

"Could you try explaining to me how it works? I'm having a hard time getting the hang of it." He suddenly seemed serious and determined, and Numino ignore her usual natural reaction, when someone asked for her help, which mostly involved her insulting and teasing the one asking.

Needless to say, not many people asked for her help.

She thought about it for a second.

"You are trying to pull the leaves apart, aren't you?" she asked.

He looked up in surprise, and then nodded.

"It's your first thought, but that's not right. Took me awhile to figure it out, but the wind, you make from your chakra, have to cut, not tear." She explained. "You have to make a blade with the wind, and cut."

"A blade from wind?! How does that work?" Naruto asked, clearly not getting much of, what she said.

"You have two gusts of wind, and rub them against each other. Look kiddo, I'm not good with this sort of thing. I'm not use to explaining!" she a last burst out.

"Which explains why your reports all suck!" Kakashi commented. "But you could go ask Asuma for help, if Numino isn't good enough. He at least knows how to explain."

"At least I can talk about myself, and actually saying something!" Numino exclaimed.

Kakashi didn't seem bothered by her words. He had his attention on Naruto, who stilled seemed confused.

"Asuma-sensei? Why him?" he asked.

"He is one of the few other Wind-style users in the village, and he and Numino are properly the best in the village."

Numino was a bit surprised. She didn't get praises from Kakashi, but then again she had to admit, it was a fact. She was one of the best Wind-style users, and Kakashi wasn't one to ignore facts. That's what made him such a good warrior.

"That's a good idea! I'll do that as soon as we are finished!" Naruto smiled and slurped the soup like he hadn't drunken in years.

"Well, I'm finished." Numino said and pushed the bowl away from her.

Naruto looked surprised from her bowl to her.

"But you are only half-finished! You only have a small bowl! Are you sure, you're full? Don't you like it!?" the last question came almost in chock.

She smiled.

"I love ramen. I'm just not a big eater." She explained.

Kakashi looked concerned at her with his one eye, but he didn't say anything.

Especially because, he noticed at bird of prey circulating over their head, the moment he stepped out of the ramen shop.

He looked at Numino and Yamato, to see, if they had noticed it too.

Yamato had, but Numino didn't look up.

What kind of shinobi was she?! She was still busy discussing with Naruto, who hadn't noticed anything either.

"I didn't say; I didn't like ramen! I just say; I wasn't that hungry. Just because I don't eat, as much as you, doesn't mean I hate it!" she protested.

"No way! No one eats so little. That can't be healthy!"

"Numino!" Kakashi interrupted and gave a telling look at the sky.

Finally Numino looked up. Her confused look turned into a serious one!

She looked back at Kakashi and Yamato and nodded.

Naruto didn't seem to understand.

"What's going on?!" he asked.

"You just go and see Asuma," Kakashi said.

Naruto seemed doubtful, but he wanted to go and see the jounin, so he smiled and run of.

"Oaky, see you later!" he waved and smiled.

Numino couldn't help herself, she waved and smiled. She turned to the two other jounins.

"Well shall we see what the slug queen wants?" she asked still smiling.

Yamato nodded and Kakashi rolled his eye.

Tsunade had a mission. As expected. Two, as a matter of fact.

"I have a request from Jiraiya," she said. "He needs help in a spy mission. I want you two," she pointed at Numino and Kakashi, "to go and help him."

"Are you sure that's wise?" Numino asked nervous. She still didn't get along with Kakashi, and a spy mission, where you should be silent and calm, was the worst place to have an argument.

"Listen Numino!" Tsunade interrupted. "You two are jounins, I can and will not keep you apart like two immature children. Just because I don't want you on the same team doesn't mean I will keep you two apart! Do I make myself clear?!"

She was calm, but Numino gulped.

"Yes, milady," she mumbled.

"Yamato, you will take the rest of team Kakashi to the fire-temple. They want help with some grave robbery."

She pushed two documents forward on her table. One for Kakashi and her mission, and one for Yamato and the rest of Kakashi's team.

They took them, and they all three gave their leave.

Yamato immediately went off to brief the team, but Kakashi and Numino stayed behind, and looked at each other.

"So?" Numino began.

"What?" Kakashi aked.

"What about the mission? When do we start? Where do we start?" she tried to look at the document in Kakashi's hands.

"I will tell you. You just keep your nose to yourself!" Kakashi answered and tried to hide the document.

"And who put you in charge?!"

"You might be the same rank as me, but I have much more experience and mature than you. That put me in charge!"

"You call me immature?!" now there was no stopping it. It was an argument.

She always became furious, when people presumed she was immature or stupid, just because she didn't act like a dork or a self-important jerk!

"Yes! Didn't even notice the sign to come and see the Hokage, because you were too busy discussing ramen!" Kakashi growled.

"Hey, I'm not used to look up at the sky. It's been so long since I should look up!" she took a deep breath to calm down. "Listen I just want to know, where it is, and when you like to leave." She finally said. She didn't want to argue now, and show that she actually was immature.

Kakashi seemed to think the same and looked at the document.

"It's a small town in the Land of Grass close to the border. It will take us two days to get there. We will leave in the morning." He answered, and let her see the document.

She looked at the coordinates, and gave him a happy smile.

"I will get us there in twelve hours!"

"Who?" Kakashi was afraid of the answer, but he had to ask.

"We fly of course!" Kakashi gulped.


End file.
